The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-12-14
A MONTHS EXPENSES
Payments to the Benevolent Institutions Ds-
hysd BY hr. GrifiO's Unnecessary AOssaca
The State Officers Finally Get Together
and Make allowances According TO the
Statements Subm tilted to Them.

The Governor, Secretary aud Treasurer
OF State, met yesterday afternoon aud APP
pIopriated funds TO meet the monthly exc
penses of the State Benevolent Institutions,
This should have been done several days
ago, but the absence OF Secretary OF State
Griffin in Washington, on partisan busi-
Dess, delayed action until yesterday. The
law provides that wheu Legislature shall
fail TO make proper provision for the
maintenance of the institutions, the Off
GERS PANIED shall set apart funds
for their monthly expenses, exc
eept that such monthly allowance
for each institution shall not exceed one
twelfth OF the amount appropriated by
the last preceding General Assembly.
In the case OF the Insane Hospital the
last appropriation was $3.50, 900 for main
tenance, SIS. 600 for repairs, and $l2,O00
for clothing. The monthly allowance for
maintenance would, therefore, be S2I, 6G6,
whether the expenses OF the institution
were in excess of that sum or not, as he
power of the officers named is restrict ed
to one-tweltth of the sum for that partieu-
lar use. The expense for November, as
shown by the vouchers presented by the
Board OF Trustees and countersigned by
the Superintendent were: Maintenance,
$40 6fS; clothing 81, 900; repairs, 81, 0iS.
When the Trustees presented their claim
for the December allowance they asked
for the full one-twelfth of the $500, 900
for maintenance, but Treasurer Lemcke
held that the sum allowed could not ex-
coed the actual expense, and this view of
it was concurred in by the Governor and
Secretary of State yesterday afternoon
The fact that the Trustees asked for this
allowance led to huge cry from the Jour-
nal, which assumed that they desired tn
create surplus fund to be used at their
pleasure. Such an lntmation was not
only un Just but malicious. The fact is
that the expenses at this time are
exceedingly small. At times they
reach in the heighborhood of $50 600,
spd If the appropriations are re-
tricted to the actual amount Of
expense, as in the present case, when the
inoebtedn ess exceeds the monthly INSTALL
ment it cannot be met. 1t was for this
reason that the Trustees desired the entire
monthly installment, that no trouble should
arise in meeting obligations whea they
shall exceed the sum OF $21 ,666.
Governor Porter held this to be the cor
rect view several years ago. and the full
sum wss drawn monthly from the Tr cas-
uIer's office, and that which remained as
surplus was used as a fund to meet the
bills when they run over the amount
which the State officers were empowered
to pay out.
1t is intimsted that Treasurer Lemicke's
protest was due to desire to hold the sur
plus money, that he might place the same
ont CT interest and benefit his own
pocket. The State officers will no
doubt find themselves in a very
embarrassing position when the exc
penses run up to SIS, 900 or more and
they find they cannot appropriate but one
twelfth Of the $500, 0OO The responsibility
will rest with them and them only.